EDISON — Two private water companies that provide Edison’s 35,800 households with drinking water are conducting routine hydrant flushing over the next few weeks.
Crews from Middlesex Water Company and New Jersey American Water Company are already working in the Edison neighborhoods they each serve. Hydrant flushing is done between 7:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. and only by uniformed personnel in clearly marked company vehicles.
Fire hydrants are systematically opened each Spring to flush mineral deposits and sediment from water mains to increase flow and improve water quality. Flushing the water system will not interrupt service, but residents may notice at a temporary pressure decrease or discolored water.
Each of these private water companies suggests that Edison residents avoid running their tap water, washing machines and/or dishwashers while neighborhood hydrant flushing is being done; if residents see discolored water, run the cold water for a few minutes until it is clear, check for discolored water before using washing machines or dishwashers; do not put rust-stained laundry water into clothes dyers; rewash the laundry immediately using detergent and a fabric rust remover, and if water pressure seems low after neighborhood hydrant flushing is complete, check all household faucet screens for trapped particles.
For more information, visit www.middlesexwater.com/customer-care/hydrant-flushing or https://amwater.com/njaw/alerts/manage-alerts/id/253.
Updates are also available at www.edisonnj.org/.